Clock winding mechanism



May 8, 1934. F4 SCHNEIDER CLOCK WINDING MECHANISM Filed 001,. 30, 1931 Patented May 8, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,958,350 CLOCK WINDING MECHANISM Ferdinand Schneider, Fulda, Germany Application October 30, 1931, Serial No. 572,191 2Claims. (01. 185-40) The invention relates to clocks with winding up motors connected to electric mains, and with a stopping and release device, and in particular for such clocks the driving means (springs) of which are re-tensioned by a small induction motor or the like.

According to the invention, the driving medium here used, e. g. the spring, is only used for a constant output of energy, so that thereby extraorinarily accurate running results can be attained. This effect is produced by the minute wheel of the clock causing the motor to be switched in every hour, a lever holding the motor armature being lifted out of the locking position and after the tensioning of the spring being carried back into the locking position. For the purpose of actuating the locking lever, only a constant resistance is opposed to the running works of the clock, so that the clock can be very well regulated.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of clock winding mechanism embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a detail elevation of the arbor or spindle for the minute gear and its connections.

Figure 3 is an elevation of means for transmitting power from the electric motor to the winding mechanism.

In plate 1 of the clock gear is a pin 2 on which a three-armed lever B, 4, 11, is adapted to rock, its movements being limited by pins 5, 6, fitted in the plate. In the plate 1 is also fitted a pin '7, on which is carried, capable of rocking, a twoarmed lever 8 with a hammer 8, and on a pin 9 fitted in the plate 1 is carried a single-armed lever 10 having a hammer 10. Furthermore, fitted on the plate 1 is an electric motor; but only its rotating disc 12 with the spindle therefor is shown. Also, there is rotatably carried between the plate 1 and a second plate (not shown) parallel thereto of the clock gear, the minute wheel 13 of the clock gear, as also the spring barrel wheel 15, the pin 14 being in operative connection on the minute wheel 13 (Figs, 1 and 2) and the pin 16 in connection with the wheel 15, as hereafter described. The minute wheel 13 is firmly attached to a spindle 23, while the spring casing and its wheel 15 and a ratchet wheel 1'7 are rotatably carried by means of a liner tube on the spindle 23. Inside the spring barrel 18 a driving spring (not shown) is connected at one end to the spindle 23, and on the other end is likewise connected to the barrel 18, as is usual in time mechanisms and similar mechanisms. The lateral movement of the members 15 and 18 together with the ratchet wheel 17 are limited by a pin 25 fitted in the spindle 23. On the cover of the barrel 18 are also fitted two carrier pins 19, 20, which pass through holes in a carrier disc 22 fitted on a travelling nut 21; the travelling nut 21 runs on the thread 24 of the spindle 23. The pin 16 is fitted on the carrier disc 22.

The apparatus works as follows:

With the progressive rotation of the minute wheel 13, the short arm of the hammer 7,8 is, by means of the pin 14 fitted on the wheel 13, pressed down and the hammer 8 raised until the pin 14 slides off of the lever '7 when the hammer 8 drops onto the arm 4, pressing this arm onto its pin or seat 6. The auxiliary arm 11 is thereby moved away from the motor disc 12, so that the latter is released and now rotates. The motor disc 12 drives, e. g., by means of gears according to Fig. 3, the wheel 15, as hereafter described. The apparatus is prevented from running back by a locking pawl engaging in the teeth of the ratchet wheel 17. On the rotation of the wheel 15 and the barrel 18 the carrier pins 19, 20, fitted on the barrel set the disc 22 coupled with them, into rotation, whereby the pin 16 fitted thereon gradually raises the lever with hammer 10 and finally slides off of this, whereby the hammer 10 drops and presses the arm 3 downward on to its pin or seat 5 so that the arm 11 bears against the motor disc 12 and stops this. The spring barrel is in this process carried round for a complete revolution, by which means the driving spring 18 is restored to its initial tension.

In order to ensure that the adjusting member 3, 4, 11, is retained in whichever one of its two positions it is moved to, any suitable means may be employed if found desirable. The movements of the member 3, 4, 11, are repeated alternately at intervals, so that the running gear of the clock thereby receives a constant driving force.

If the main current should fail the motor disc 12 would not start when released by the arm 11 and the spring would not be rewound. However, the clock would continue to run until the spring became further unwound. The travelling nut 21 together with the disc 22, moves, owing to the continued rotation of the minute wheel spindle 23, towards the spindle end. If the main current becomes again available, the spring barrel in its re-tensioning rotation carries back the driver disc 22 together with the travelling nut 21, until the pin 16 reaches its lifting position and thus produces the lifting and the dropping again of the hammer 10, so that finally on its drop the 'of a worm 41 is carried, are fitted on the bearing" block 35. Furthermore, a bridge piece 42 is fitted on the'plate 1 and in it is screwed a screw 43 with a fine thread, the'end of which bears against the back of 39; On a pin 44 fixed on. the platel is hooked one end of a spring 45, while the other end ofthe spring is hooked onto a pin 46 of the bearing block 35. On the spindle is fitted a carrier 47, 48 which effects a coupling with a' small electric motor 49, on the spindle 50 of which is fitted a disc 51 with carrier 52. The method of operation of the device is as follows:

The bearing block 35 is carried on the plate 1 capable of adjustment by the screw 36, the other end'of the bearing block is adjustably' fixed by the screw 37. A slot 55 allows a suificient movement of the bearing block upward or downward. By means of the screw 37 and underthe tension of the spring 45, the worm 41 can be at any time adjusted to exact engagement with wheel 34. Such gear transmission means consume but little power, and permit the adjustment of a noiseless and correct engagement between worm and worm wheel. by means of the adjusting screw the engagement can be regulated while the mechanism is in operation and wear of the gear will not cause tooth base friction to occur.

What I wish to claim and secure by U. S. Letters Patent, is:, V

1. In a clock mechanism, an arbor 23 having threaded portion 24, a minute wheel fast to said arbor and having a tappet pin 14, an actuating spring casing 18 free to rotate on the arbor and It is of special advantage that having a gear 15 and a ratchet gear fast thereto,

and also providedwith a guide 'pin 19 parallel with the arbor, a travelling nut 21 on the threaded portion of the arbor and having a carrier disc movable thereby toward and from the spring casing, said carrier disc having a tappet pin 16, a mo'tor'to drive the spring casing and thereby wind the clock actuating spring, means 11 to normally prevent operation of the motor, and means 8, 10, respectively operated by the tappet pins of the minute wheel and carrier disc to move the means to prevent operation of the motor into starting and stopping position.

2. Clock mechanism asclaimed in claim 1, in which each of the tappet pin operated means has a weighting hammer to strike the means which normally prevents operation of the motor, when released by its coacting'tappet pin.

I FERDINAND SCHNEIDER. 

